My 1983 Continental Mark VI!

[DerekTheGreat]

Warranty returns are pretty easy IMO. I walk into work and do a warranty replace. Even if I don’t work here then they can just look it up by phone number. We’re big on no hassle returns and warranties.

Well, I haven't got access to the same tools you have. But, I think I ordered the struts from Rock Auto, so I'll see if the order is still within their system. Worth a shot before spending more money. I do believe I put struts on for the steel hood even though I've got the ally-oom-inum one.

[mercurygm88]

It was almost 60 degrees out today and sunny so I pulled the Mark VI out of the garage, checked fluids, checked tire pressure, 303'd the vinyl top, cleaned the interior, and cleaned/conditioned the leather. I put about 35 miles on it too, first time it's been driven since early November when I put it away for what I said was the winter. But it was a nice day and they haven't salted the roads yet this season so I figured I could get it out.

I made a little walk around video how I was doing stuff today. That little bit of crap on the trunk lid is the only rust on the car, underbody looks like a southern car. I had trouble getting the cardboard cover to move on the drivers side rear quarter panel in the trunk, but that one is as equally rust free as the passenger side.

It was almost 60 degrees out today and sunny so I pulled the Mark VI out of the garage, checked fluids, checked tire pressure, 303'd the vinyl top, cleaned the interior, and cleaned/conditioned the leather. I put about 35 miles on it too, first time it's been driven since early November when I put it away for what I said was the winter. But it was a nice day and they haven't salted the roads yet this season so I figured I could get it out.

It was almost 60 degrees out today and sunny so I pulled the Mark VI out of the garage, checked fluids, checked tire pressure, 303'd the vinyl top, cleaned the interior, and cleaned/conditioned the leather. I put about 35 miles on it too, first time it's been driven since early November when I put it away for what I said was the winter. But it was a nice day and they haven't salted the roads yet this season so I figured I could get it out.

It was almost 60 degrees out today and sunny so I pulled the Mark VI out of the garage, checked fluids, checked tire pressure, 303'd the vinyl top, cleaned the interior, and cleaned/conditioned the leather. I put about 35 miles on it too, first time it's been driven since early November when I put it away for what I said was the winter. But it was a nice day and they haven't salted the roads yet this season so I figured I could get it out.

[Lutrova]

That's a sharp looking car.

I didn't realize you could get a Mark without rear speakers. Would've thought anything less than fully-optioned would run counter to the intended image for that model, especially for the VI, which was little more than a Town Car with different body panels.

Also interesting is the chrome trim and carpet on the B-pillar piece. It obviously makes sense to continue those materials from the front doors to the back, but I guess that was value engineered out sometime in the mid-'80s. That or it was stripped out of my car only and I haven't been very observant with every other example.

[87gtVIC]

Nice survivor car you got there Kyle.

[mercurygm88]

That's a sharp looking car.

Thanks. I didn't realize you could get a Mark without rear speakers. Would've thought anything less than fully-optioned would run counter to the intended image for that model, especially for the VI, which was little more than a Town Car with different body panels.

Also interesting is the chrome trim and carpet on the B-pillar piece. It obviously makes sense to continue those materials from the front doors to the back, but I guess that was value engineered out sometime in the mid-'80s. That or it was stripped out of my car only and I haven't been very observant with every other example.

There are rear speakers, they just don't have speaker grills. I believe you had to get the premium sound option for that, I have speakers in the rear deck and dash but no door speakers. If you ever get a chance to look at a 1980-81 Mark VI there are some other differences too, there is an extra woodgrain panel on the doors, the gauge cluster is white instead of black in the case of the analog cluster, and the climate controls and radio are white/silver. Early Mark VI's also came with a factory tool kit and flashlight in the glove compartment, those things were gone by 1983. Some of the early designer edition cars even carried the interior carpet over into the trunk.

[mercurygm88]

Nice survivor car you got there Kyle.

Thanks Dave.

[gadget73]

I didn't realize there was an aluminum hood prior to the aero panthers. My '88 Grand Marquis had a steel hood. The Mark VI has a ridiculously heavy steel hood. I know my '95 MGM had an aluminum hood and the '02 LSE hood is aluminum. I have no clue about the '01 and '03 Town Cars but I imagine they were aluminum as well.

Specifically a Lincoln thing so far as I know. Towncars from 86-89 were aluminum, and some of the early VI were also aluminum but with one hood strut. I don't know exactly which cars got what or why.


Is the rear deck carpet over cardboard, with the cardboard cut out above the speakers? My Continental is like that.

[Mainemantom]

Your Lincoln looks like it is only a couple of years old. SHARP ! The paint is brilliant. Keep up the good work maintaining it.

[mercurygm88]

Specifically a Lincoln thing so far as I know. Towncars from 86-89 were aluminum, and some of the early VI were also aluminum but with one hood strut. I don't know exactly which cars got what or why.


Is the rear deck carpet over cardboard, with the cardboard cut out above the speakers? My Continental is like that.

Yes rear deck is carpet over cardboard with cutouts above the speakers. I believe either the ‘01 or ‘03 Town Car was the same. I don’t recall which one probably the ‘01 as it was an Executive, the ‘03 was a Signature.

[mercurygm88]

Your Lincoln looks like it is only a couple of years old. SHARP ! The paint is brilliant. Keep up the good work maintaining it.

Thanks Tom I plan to, there are actually a lot of little paint imperfections when you look closely. The bumper fillers and roof are a little faded but overall it’s pretty good. I’m going to give it a good coat is paste wax come spring. I thought about don’t the clay bar but don’t know if I have the ambition to do so.

[mercurygm88]

Three or four of the bulbs including the high beam indicator in the instrument cluster of the Mark VI have been burnt out since I got it. So yesterday I decided to replace them, 9 #194 bulbs in the cluster and one behind the antenna switch to illuminate the word "Antenna." The worst part was disconnecting and connecting the speedometer cable since I could barely get my big hand behind the cluster. I even managed not to break the gear indicator cable, it's been a little bit off since I bought the car but I couldn't get far enough in there to mess with it so it can stay that way.

It's nice to be able to see the speedometer at night now.

[gadget73]

I used warm white LED on mine. Stock color but a little brighter.

and yeah the speedo cable is a bastard.

[mercurygm88]

I used warm white LED on mine. Stock color but a little brighter.

and yeah the speedo cable is a bastard.

Yeah I noticed they still aren't terribly bright but at least I can see what's going on now.

[aharonLTC]

My gear indicator was off on my 88 when I got it, because its holder onto the column was broken, it's a round C shaped plastic piece with two tabs through which a fastener secures the holder to the column, however one of the tabs had broken. I think the previous owner had put rubber bands on the holder to hold it to the column but it had slipped. I first tried KwikWelding at the break but that didn't hold up. What worked was putting a hose clamp around the holder, it's still working to this day.

The holder rotates around the column to calibrate the indicator.

[VicCrownVic]

This makes me wonder. For those who are into 3D printing, could this collar for the shift indicator be 3D printed? Sly or anyone else into 3D printing.